The Legend of Zelda
by ChiBea
Summary: In the second installment of Project Smash, a young boy named Link must leave a lonely life and join an even lonelier one, wandering the path of a long quest that may never be completed. With the assistance of the Princess of Hyrule, Link is assigned to stop a dark force from destroying everything he knows. This...is the Legend of Zelda.
1. Part One

A/N: Hey, so I like to try different things every time I write something, to be experimental and to see if I ever find a writing style that I can just immediately work with. You'll notice this fiction will be a lot lengthier and in-depth than my previous Mario Bros. story. I also want to bring a more romantic and action-filled side to the story, while maintaining the spiritual part I tried in Super Mario Bros., and reducing the narrative style that consumed that fic. I'm writing this note midway into the chapter, and I think you'll like it.

This is but one of the legends of which the people speak...  
Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden. It was a prosperous land blessed with green forests, tall mountains, and peace.  
But one day, a man of great evil found the golden power and took it for himself. With its strength at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom.  
But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand...a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding the blade of evil's bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light.  
This boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time. The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend...but then, a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom. The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs.  
The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them...but the hero did not appear. Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the Gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate.  
What became of that kingdom? None remain who know.  
The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath. On a certain island, it became customary to garb boys in green when they came of age. Clothed in the green of fields, they aspired to find heroic blades and cast down evil. The elders wished only for the youths to know courage like the hero of legend...

Many years ago-  
"Link!"

"Link!"  
Link was a young boy, around the age of 14, who was very slothful throughout his days. A little short for his age, Link was an orphan with long, dark blonde hair who lived alone, in a treehouse, constructed himself. It was based near a small village named Kakariko, where he visited every once in a while to stock up on foods. When Link wasn't sleeping, (which he did quite a lot), he wandered the woods, partly searching for equipment to trade for food items back at Kakariko, but also to feel more alone than he already was. Until about a year ago, Link lived with his one surviving relative-an uncle (on his father's side), who was a knight for the King of Hyrule. He was killed violently by an unknown culprit. His uncle distilled into Link a strong idealism of mankind, that everyone was weak, unintelligent, and useless. Link's uncle would return home every week or so, would stay for a couple of days, and then leave again to resume service. The times Link's uncle was home, he would either be plotting plans to overthrow the King or help him.  
Link was never really able to converse with his uncle. After his sudden death, Link's lifestyle changed only to a new living space-his treehouse, which was actually a sort of promotion from the small, dreary home back in Ordon.  
"Link!"  
The sluggish Link groaned and opened his eyes slightly, to see a little girl flaunting about. This young woman was Saria, a funny character whose home was in Kakariko. She often visited Link, likely because she had had a 'crush' on the fellow. This was, of course, unbeknownst to Link, and he thought it an annoyance that Saria showed up so much.  
"Oh, get up!" Saria laughed, and pulled Link up next to her, before stepping away slightly.  
Link, still half-asleep, began (dangerously) climbing down his skim tree-ladder.  
"Be careful, now," Saria warned, as she followed. "Hold on! Hold on! I got you a present, Link."  
By this time, Link was pretty much awake, and replied, "why?"  
"Wh-it's your birthday, dummy!" Saria threw a wrapped box at Link, playfully.  
Catching the box, Link questioned the statement, "it's my birthday? Are you sure?"  
"Surer than the fact Mido is in, like, super love with me," Saria assured Link, as he began tearing through the wrapping. When he opened a small box, it was revealed that the gift was a green tunic, long elf cap, and light brown pants.  
"Um, I thought since your parents were gone, no one would be able to give you the clothes of the Hero. So, I, um, sewed some, and stuff," Saria explained, with a hint of red on her face.  
"Saria, this is rad," Link said softly as he stretched the clothes out in front of him, beginning to ponder his annoyance to Saria. He shoved the soft headwear onto his hair. Link stood and struck a heroic pose, emitting a laugh from Saria.  
"Okay, okay, I ought to go," Saria giggled, and exited the treehouse clearings. After Saria was no longer in sight, Link redressed himself in his new garments. He was looking a lot like the Hero of Time, if you were to compare the old mythical drawings to the young boy.  
~Link~ ~Link~ The 'hero' checked his surroundings, searching for the voice's origin.  
~Link, you must go to the forest and speak to the old, wise tree~ ~Link~ As soon as it had started, the mysterious voice was gone. 


	2. Part Two

Often, the Darkness is portrayed as a great evil, while the Light is recognized as the flawless hero. But to think on such terms is outright racism to the Gods. While the Darkness makes mortal mistakes, so does the Light. The Light is not perfect. The Light in this story is a young boy named Link, who is far from perfect. Nothing is in black-and-white. Sometimes, the Darkness becomes the Light...and the Light becomes the Darkness.

"That's pretty weird," Saria responded to Link's recounting of the mysterious voice he heard. "So, you're going to go?"  
"Yeah," Link rubbed his head.  
"Well...you can't!" Saria insisted.  
"Why not?"  
"It's...dangerous! At the very least, you need some defense," Saria explained, "if you're really going to go, you need to talk to Orca or something."  
"I guess so," Link replied and stood from Saria's floor before leaving the hay shack.  
Link wandered back in the direction of his house, avoiding conversation with the villagers by sticking to the side of the valley. He was turned around, checking to make sure no one spotted him (he tried to avoid talking as much as possible, as he was shy around people, when he bumped into something. Or someone.  
Unfortunate Link had bumped into his least-liked of the Kakarikos, a muscular boy named Mido.  
"Well, hey there, Linky," Mido snorted, crossing his arms, "goin' someplace?"  
"Let me through," Link demanded softly, and tried to sidestep Mido. But the boy was too quick, and stopped Link with an extended arm.  
"Listen, Linky..." Mido growled, "Saria, she's young and confused, so for some reason she thinks she likes you. But guess what, you little loser? She actually likes ME."  
"You see, Link, here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna dump your dumb, homeless butt somewhere far away, and me and Saria are gonna get married. You do exactly as I tell you, maybe I'll let Saria invite you to the wedding. If she even wants anything to do with you by then. Got it?"  
"Sure," Link scrunched his eyes and gave a fake, patronizing smile, before ducking to avoid Mido's large hands, rolling under him, and doing a slight jump to kick him in the back, knocking him down and giving time and a platform to get away. As Link began dashing away, he overheard a "that's right, scram!" from the older boy. Soon, Link had arrived at the edge of Kakariko, where Orca's home was. It was a dark blue shack, with a ladder leading to a higher floor, occupied by his brother Sturgeon. Link knocked on the lower door, and was quickly pulled in by a weak, skinny arm. The arm belonged to Orca, just the man he was looking for.  
"Ah, Link," the old man's gruff voice sounded, "this is a surprise. What is your purpose here?"  
"I've come to ask for some weapon, sir," Link answered.  
"You? With a tool of defense? Ahahaha!" Orca laughed in Link's face, changing almost into a choke. "You're a boy!"  
"Weren't you young when you started?" Link questioned angrily. "Look, I need some fighting stuff. I'm going into the Woods. By myself."  
This statement quieted the old man. "I suppose it's dangerous to go alone," orca said as he began reaching for something. He pulled out a small sword from a nearby shelf, and set it in Link's hands. "Take this."  
Link examined the blade. It was recently sharpened, and the gray blade shined with an inexplicable luster. The hilt and handle of the blade were woven brown, comfortable in Link's hand. The sword, although almost as tall as Link, was light, and he could move swiftly while using it.  
"Do you know how to use one?" Orca asked.  
"I'll figure it out," Link said, annoyed, but apologized: "sorry, sir. Thank you very much. I'll return it as soon as I can."  
"Keep it," Orca stared into the wall opposite Link, as if in deep thought.  
Link left the shack.

"We have wooden shields, iron shields, we got whatever you need shields."  
"Yeah, you say that every time, Aryll. I have 100 rupees, will that get me a wooden shield?"  
"They're actually 110, but I'll give you a discount, big bro," Aryll, manager of the shop in Kakariko, remarked.  
"I'm not your brother!" Link smirked.  
"Sure...big bro," Aryll laughed as Link exited the shop, with him a small, wooden shield.  
When Link was out of the shop and united with a sword and shield, he fell tiredly to the soft, green grass, and lay there for a moment, before returning to his home, and to let all of the things he said and did and learned, reanimate in his dreams...  



	3. Part Three

Link pulled on his classic green elf-like cap, the end hanging down off his head. He was wearing the clothes Saria had given him, along with good boots. In his right hand was a small sword from Orca, shining. In the other, he held a shield in a defensive position. Link stood in front of the Lost Woods, a maze-like forest where all sense of direction supposedly faded. In the center of it all lay a great Tree, a Deku Tree, that was to bestow wisdom, strength, and courage upon the Chosen One. That was where Link was headed-not for the wisdom, strength, and courage-but to figure out why the voice in his head needed him there so badly.  
Earlier, he had said goodbye to his friends, Saria, Aryll, and Orca. This could be the last time he saw any of them. Link remembered his encounter with Saria.  
"Link, take this with you," Saria had handed him an ocarina. "Now, you'll have to come back-to deliver it personally!" She made a little turn, then quickly hugged Link before returning to Kakariko. Link, the quiet self he always was, had said nothing. All he did was set the small ocarina in a knapsack by his hip.  
But now, Link was at the edge of the end of society. He stared into the huge red trees that made up the jungle. Red was all he saw most his life, anyway.  
He began walking. As he neared his fate, signs tried to ward him off with cryptic messages. The red leaves began gaining more detail. He entered a small passageway to see to his doom.  
As soon as he was inside the depths of the maze, he was under assault. But it was okay.  
His uncle had taught him many things. Creatures, their weaknesses, whether or not they were harmless, where they lurked...this one, it was an Octorok. A small, squid-like creature that hid itself in bushes or tall grass, and revealed itself only to kill and eat prey with a supply of pellets it held in it's mouth. Usually, they hid back in the grass if predators neared it. The best Link could do was try to avoid their territory.  
"Oh, Gosh!" he heard. He turned swiftly, holding his blade in a diagonal position to his hip while wielding his shield in front of him. It was an older gentleman, hunched over to Link's size, his back obviously suffering from an incredibly large backpack he wore, aligned with masks. "Never thought I'd see civilization again. He introduced himself, "hello. I'm Beedle, but I'm known as the Happy Mask Salesman. Young boy, could you perhaps offer an old man any directions to society?"  
Link began to point behind him, as he'd only walked in a straight line 10, 20 steps, but-it was changed. His entry no longer existed. He shook his head to Beedle.  
"Drat. May I tag along with you? Perhaps we can help each other out," he giggled.  
"I'd rather be on my own," Link mumbled.  
"So be it," Beedle lowkey scowled. "Would you be interested in any of my wares, then?"  
Link examined the variety of items. Most of the things for sale were masks, as Beedle's nickname indicated, but he was also able to find among them some things he might need for his quest to the Tree. He checked his wallet.  
"What can I get for...28 rupees?"  
"28 rupees?" the Happy Mask Salesman cackled. "You can get a pear, boy. You can get a pear."  
Link growled lightly. "I'll see you around," he murmured, and continued a path to the laughter of Beedle, the Happy Mask Salesman.  
As the figure faded into the distance, he heard a cried, "try not to meet with a terrible fate!", lurk in the air. 


	4. Part Four

Link had arrived at the bright beauty of the center of the Lost Woods. The plush grass he lay on was home to the Great Tree, who resided in front of him. While the Tree's expressions could not change, he was able to greet Link: "You've arrived. But you've arrived...too late. Before I speak, I need you to accept this."  
Out of thin air appeared a luxurious bow, and came with a pack of five arrows. It's craft was of perfection. Link strapped the bow to his backside along with a handful of the blades.  
"Allow me to tell a tale, that stretches back from the beginning of time to the range of 7:00 last night..."  
"Before time began, before spirits and life existed... Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule...Din, the goddess of power... Nayru, the goddess of wisdom...and Farore, the goddess of courage... Din, with her strong flaming arms, she cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore, with her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law. They each created three regions of our Hyrule earth. Din created the Eldin Canyon, Nayru created the Lanayru Oasis, and Farore created the Faron Forest. The very woods we are in right now...the ones now known as the Lost Woods. All of this Earth was desecrated about 40 years ago...it all changed in a single instance. I suspect there was a birth of darkness in that particular moment. Since, new names were quickly thrown about, insulting the old beauty of the land: our world became the Eldin Volcano, the Lanayru Desert, and Faron's Lost Woods."  
"Link, a Dark Lord is roaming our world. Soiling it. Shaming it. I know of no name for the Desert Man in Black, but I know that he is destroying everything we've ever known. Heheh...he's even destroyed me."  
The Tree's eyes shifted to the core of his bark, where Link noticed a blackening stain, slowly growing, inching it's way outwards to consume the whole tree.  
"It's true...Not long from now, I am to die, to end this quest I started the day Time began. But while I was the Advisor of Time, you will become the Hero of Time. Because you are the Chosen One, Link. My last words are your next step: Venture to the Hyrule Castle, whatever way so commands the situation. Meet with the Princess Zelda. She, too, is a part of this prophesized fable. I only wish I could see it all play out...Goodbye, Link...Goodbye, the Chosen..."  
The dark, oval eyes closed. Link resumed his position in front of the tree, sitting. He kept there for a bit.

The silver sword sliced through vines, sliced through anything to see Link on his way. Ahead was the Hyrule Kingdom of the World. There was Castle Town, inside of which resided Hyrule Castle, the royal home of the King and his daughter Princess Zelda. Princess Zelda, his next mission. Link massaged the bow carefully, getting a feel for it. He tested his speed from the time he pulled an arrow from his back to putting it into place, ready to fire. He practiced this for a couple hours, without letting a single arrow go. He discovered it took an average of 6 seconds to get the whole thing done. Link then shot an arrow, to test his aim. He didn't hit the center of the target, but it was pretty close. It would be easy to hit someone with a weapon as large as an arrow anyway. Yeah, he wanted to make it to Castle Town as quickly as possible, but he didn't want to go in unskilled. By the time he thought he was good to go with his bow and arrows, it was nearing night. With not enough time to arrive at his destination before pitch dark, Link made camp overnight.  
The rim of the Woods at dark could be dangerous. Link's bed tonight would be the inside of a small oak tree. Outside, he heard various crows and cries, but the one particular thing that lingered with him through the night was a scream. One human scream. It took a while before he could sleep.

WISDOM.  
POWER.  
COURAGE.  
Link was wandering bright purple steps, up a large temple that was difficult to reach. When he made it to the top, he was facing the back of a tall, powerful man, robed in black and having flame red hair.  
Link broke into a defensive stance, holding his shield in front of him and his sword facing outwards. The man didn't turn.  
"You're a boy. You won't survive this quest, let alone finish it. Your blade is dull, and so are your wits. You blindly follow directions given to you by strangers, words in your head you don't even know the source of. I will show Hyrule what I've endured my entire life. My vengeance will be exacted upon you all, and no one, least of all you, will STOP ME!"

Link awoke from his nightmare. A bright red sun peeked over a shrouded hilltop, it's rays beaming all over the land, emitting a repellent to the black that had surrounded it. By this time, Link had forgotten most of the dream, and the orphan began packing. Over his bright green tunic came his sheath. Inside of it he placed the silver sword given to him by Orca. He latched the bow onto the sheath the opposite direction, and stuck arrows through it's net to hold them. He held his shield, without a place to put it due to the odd positioning of the bow, and was on his way after he pulled on his green elf cap. He pushed his longer blonde hair out of the way, allowing vision from both eyes. He hiked over the dirty hills. Taking a closer look, he noticed that there were smoldered spots, forming almost a set of footprints. The Dark Forces...whatever they were, they were further than him. Was it 'they?' Or just...him? The Desert Man in Black? And if it was Him, was He on the same path as Link? It didn't matter right now. He'd probably find out more when he spoke with Princess Zelda.  
If he could. Link stood in front of the Castle Town entrance/exit, a drawbridge over a small, glittering moat, and noted the huge amount of hustle and bustle that occured inside the Kingdom doors. With caution, Link stepped inside, and found himself thrown around through the crowds.  
"H.M.S wrote that he'd be arriving soon!"  
"Rad, I need a new mask! My nephew's birthday is coming up!"  
"Where did my little dog go?"  
"Five rupees, five rupees for a fantastic bit of rolls! Five rupees, everybody!"  
Link rushed through the hordes into a calm little space by a potion shop. He set himself in a chair by a table.  
"Rush hour, right?"  
Link looked across the table to the other man sitting there.  
"Every day, it's like this. Even Sunday! Exciting at first, but it wears out real fast."  
Link didn't answer.  
"You're a quiet fellow. What's with the get up, Hero of Time?" The man gestured to Link's clothing and weapons.  
"I'm lookin' for Hyrule Castle."  
"Right to the point, huh," the guy muttered, "so happens I'm a guard there. See, take that road there," he pointed down a street, "then take a left at the first street you come across. You'll be on a straight path to the Castle. But uh, you've gotta have an appointment to make it in. Since the Great Darkening, security's been crazy tight. You have an appointment, right?"  
"Yeah," Link lied.  
"Good, then! I'll see you around, kid."  
With that, Link headed to Hyrule Castle. 


	5. Part Five

The palace was now in front of him. Link had a difficult time interpreting the size of it-he was used to the short hay shacks back at home. It was a finely constructed castle. The building was made of shining gray gravel, with a couple peaks and one large summit in the middle, the top of it holding a small flag. Each short bump had an arch, and the castle's doors were finely carved magnolia wood.  
And in front of all that were two workers guarding a tall, black, metallic gate.  
"Where's your paper, kid?" One sleazy, unshaven guard grumbled. When Link offered nothing, he grouched, "no appointment? Then scram!"  
Link relunctantly left, muttering words that would make the people of Kakariko pass out. He spotted a hill, climbed up, and dropped into a hole in a wall too small for most. He snuck through, then stuck to the side of the valley as he passed guards on the grounds of the castle. He delved into a bush and arrived on it's other side, then found himself playing a game. Guards wandering a specific path repetitively, all day, seemed to have the same direction, so Link had to follow them from behind, but not too close for them to hear his steps. Garden rosaries and brick walls stopped him at every turn. It was a thrill, slow as he had to move, knowing the consequences of his being discovered.  
Link was in a small garden space, a meadow.  
There was Princess Zelda. She was looking through a glass pane window, engrossed in whatever was occuring inside. Her blonde locks brushed over her shoulders, and her dress slightly passed her feet and spread across the green blades of grass. The clothing was pink and white.  
She turned around, and Link glimpsed her face. Blue eyes, narrow brows, small pink lips, slightly outstretched 'elf' ears. She was the most beautiful girl Link had ever seen.  
"How did you make it past the guards?" Zelda asked, as she pushed a few yellow strands of hair out of her face.  
"Uh, I don't know. It was pretty easy, actually."  
"Well, what is your name?"  
"Link...Your Highness."  
Princess Zelda bit her lip slightly. "Do you want to watch?" She whispered.  
Link nodded, and joined her by the window.  
Inside was some royal hall. There was a table, and by it sat the very King of Hyrule, speaking with a dark man in black, with a large black hat atop his head.  
"...-da? What do you want with her? Oh, you're a suitor, I suppose?"  
"Not exactly, Your Highness. Please, if you would just allow me a visit with the Princess, I will be on my way."  
"What are your intentions, man? Good Nayru! You're a complete stranger. Say, how did you even get in here? Where are your appointment papers?"  
"I have none, King. It was pretty easy, actually." Link felt a strong sense of deja vu lingering with the conversation.  
"Guards! Escort this man out, at once!"  
"Your Majesty..." the man pulled off his large hat and his bright red hair was revealed. It was the very same man in Link's dream.  
"I would suggest you reconsider. Bring me the Princess."  
"No!" the King stood as two guards held the man by his arms. "Good day, sir!"  
"Very well, then...I'd rather not be on the King of Hyrule's bad side. Good day, Your Majesty. Good day."  
The security began moving him away, but before he was out of sight, he took a glance at the window pane Link and Princess Zelda were watching through, and grinned a smile that stretched wide. They could hear his cackling away as he left their vision. The King put his head in his hands.  
"I've seen the man before," Link pointed out.  
"Did you dream him?" the wide-eyed Zelda asked.  
"Yes...he was in my dreams. He insulted me as I while I got ready to beat him up a whole bunch."  
"I dreamt him too," Zelda said, "but in my dream, he was nice and kind. His looks were scary, but he tried to be nice."  
"Do you think we're..." Zelda wondered, "important?"  
Link nodded. His shield still hanging from his hand awkardly, he slung it's strap over his shoulder.  
"I was supposed to meet with you. The Great Tree told me to see you."  
"The Great Tree?" she whispered, astonished. "I know the Prophecy. Link, is it? Link, I think you're the Chosen One."  
"I keep hearing that," Link said.  
"Hey, if you're the Chosen One, then I must be one, too!" She giggled.  
"Why?"  
"The prophecy says, Link, that 'the Chosen One, the Princess of that Time, and the Dark Force will meet together in a swirl of balance before deciding the fate of a new world.'"  
"Spooky," Link mumbled.  
"Oh, I guess I need to get you something, then. It's some kind of paper that all the princesses get in case they get to be the girl that meets the Chosen One. Gosh! I can't believe it's me."  
She began walking away from the window, but stopped in her tracks. "Oh, but we'll have to sneak you past the guards, won't we? Hmm...I know, we'll go through my secret way! Heehee!" She pushed through under a bush and Link followed, and on the other side they were on a rounding hill that led to the window of Zelda's room. She opened it, and they dropped in.  
"It's a bit of a mess, Chosen One, so watch your step." The room was a big mix of pink and white, with sudden red and black colors clashing in various spots. A large, elegant bed had it's place in the middle. Dolls littered the floor. Zelda ruffled through a file before she discovered and pulled out an envelope, very clearly marked: OPEN ONLY FOR THE HERO.  
"Gee, I really hope you're the Chosen One."  
"Why's that?"  
"I'm gonna be in a lot of trouble if you aren't."  
Link ripped open the envelope. It was brown and crusted, decades old, likely. The paper inside, fortunately, was mostly unaffected, and could be read clearly.  
'The Sword Lies in the Forest, The Sword Unlocks with a Triforce.'  
"...That's it?" Link asked, puzzled.  
"Well, I didn't write it!" Zelda proclaimed. "But I can explain it. I'm smart like that. The Forest, that's the Lost Woods, right? My history tutor told me it used to be the Faron Forest. And I know what the Triforce is-don't you?"  
Link shook his head.  
"It's what the three Goddesses brought to Hyrule, a piece from each of them-three golden triangles that symbolized peace, prosperity and promise. That is also mentioned in the Prophecy-'throughout the lands have been scattered three peaces of the Triforce-only the Chosen will see them; only the Chosen may bind them; and only the Chosen will save the land with them.'  
"How do you know all this?"  
"I'm a princess. As immature as you may think I am, my whole life must be dedicated to serving the citizens of Hyrule, so I intensely study our history, our economics," she began twirling a strand of golden hair, "...anything that will make me a better Princess."  
Link nodded. "Okay."  
"Good luck on your quest, Link. Don't worry, I won't bring any attention to your going-ons. Oh, and for good luck," Princess Zelda leaned over and kissed Link on the cheek, causing him to blush a fiery red before dashing out the window. He raced through the field, not caring that a few guards were watching. Worst they could do was kick him out, and out was his destination. He leaped over the stone wall, heard a couple of 'hey!'s and sudden footsteps, but he didn't turn back. Soon enough, he was lost among the Castle Town crowds, and hurriedly slumped into a chair by a quaint little potion shop. He turned to the person across from him, before realizing-  
"Oh, seriously?"  
It was the very same guard on break from an hour ago.  
"Oh, hey there, little friend! Did you get to meet Princess Zelda?"  
Link didn't answer.  
"Cute girl. Smart, too! I'm sure she'll do a fine job of running the kingdom when she's all grown up," he smiled, then mumbled very quietly, "wouldn't mind a piece of that."  
Link, disgusted with the guard, shook his head.  
"Hey, Bob!" A few guards were running up, they were several yards away. "Bob, be on lookout for this suspicous character! We think he may be a spy! Here, lemme get over there so I can give you a description!"  
That was Link's cue to leave. In one motion, he shoved his chair back and dived into the sea of men. Soon enough, he was out of Castle Town. It was getting dark, and he made it out just before the drawbridge closed itself. He took one last look at the closed drawbridge before turning back to the wild around him.  
He wasn't sure what would've been worse-being trapped inside Castle Town with the mercy of Hyrule upon him, or being alone in the Hyrule Fields at night. 


	6. Part Six

Darkness overwhelmed the lands. Link began storming through the green hills, the grass slightly blowing from a minor wind. He thought back to the scream he heard last night, and travelled with caution. To calm himself, Link began blowing on his ocarina.  
Deedoo..doo dooo doo...deeee daa doo...  
Link pocketed it, feeling more at ease. He recited a song in his head as he continued walking within the unknown.  
'We knocked another couple back, the dead soldiers lined up on the table, still prepared for an attack, they didn't know they'd been disabled.'  
A roar beside him, Link turned to a skeletal warthog growling. He whipped out his blade and quickly finished it, stabbing the edge through it's skull. He panted from the rush, and continued on. He found his tree from last night, and once again began to curl up. This time, however, a vicious ChuChu leapt out, and Link slashed through it, it's gelatin form splattering everywhere. Link then inspected the hole, and when he was certain it was alright, he bedded himself and fell asleep.

Link awoke to Castle Town's drawbridge opening. He noticed that with it, two guards exited and began guarding the entrance. Probably to stop anyone that looked like Link from leaving or coming in. It's official, Link thought, I'm a criminal.  
What was he to do now?  
The Triforce, he remembered. Three pieces, three lands. The Lanayru Desert, Faron's Lost Woods, and the Eldin Volcano. Right now, so immediately after the alerts, the Royal Guard Community would be sending troops into the Woods, so near the Hyrule Castle, so Link would probably need to hit a different place first. He reached for a map from his pocket and examined it. Eldin Volcano was close enough to hike to and far enough from the King's eye that it would be a good start. Link began working his way around the woods and behind Castle Town, and then he was able to resume with relative safety. Some wind tugged on Link's flowing cap as messy blonde hair got in the way of his vision.  
"Hey!"  
Link turned around, his blade stabbing through harsh air. He lowered the sword in awe, staring at the miracle before him. It was a small speck of glowing blue. A fairy.  
"Okay, mophead. My name's Navi, and what I gotta do is keep an eye on you, so I'm gonna be following you around. I was appointed by Princess Zelda to keep ai-hey, listen!"  
Link was already walking away. "Fairy, while it's an honor to see one of you, I got stuff to do. Real end-of-the-world stuff we're talking here."  
"Ugh! But...ughhhh! Fine, I'll just be watching you." Navi flitted next to Link's shoulder.  
"Okay, then," Link agreed, and the new companions marched on.

Hours later, Link and Navi were on the outskirts of the Eldin Volcano's territory. Approaching it, they noted the change of the surface from it's wavy green into solidifying orange rock. It was an empty community, huts visible every hundred meters or so, but without a sign of life to be seen. They came across a crooked, cut sign with a fading message: 'Gerudo Valley'. Link then found in the corner of his eye a gathering of about 3, maybe 4 civilians. He scurried over, and realized they were all elders. He kept his hands close to his defenses if need be, and Navi buried itself in Link's back collar.  
"A boy..."  
"He looks so much like our own little boy..."  
"Hush, Arregonta. You know HE is no boy any more. He's a man, now. Unlike this child," an old women gestured at Link.  
"What's your business here, boy?" A fourth woman asked.  
"I-I'm just looking for the Eldin Volcano."  
"That's where our boy got the power," Arregonta murmured.  
"Hush, Arre, you sad old sob," the third woman repeated.  
"Shut up, Abril, allow a poor girl to grieve for the lost," the first demanded.  
"Okay. Well, I have to go now," Link began slipping away, but one of the old women grabbed him by his collar, causing him to stop in his tracks and Navi to squeak, but Link played it off as a sneeze.  
"Not so fast, not while Marge is around. We don't get little boys around here, never have ever since the Descent."  
"You're not going anywhere, kid," Abril said.  
Link reached for his sword and sliced with it through Marge's hand, leapt back and put his shield in front of him with his extended weapon, a defensive stance now muscle memory to him.  
"My hand! He cut off my hand!" Marge shrieked, holding her arm in agony. Arregonta, Abril, and the other one began dashing at Link, which in effect made him run, too. He didn't want to inflict any more damage on their crew than he had. Link's slightly bloodstreaked sword glew in the bright sun and dashing air.

"You're even stupider than I thought," Navi complained.  
The two were making camp in a cave, far away from the Gerudo women. They had lost them a while ago, covered their tracks, and found housing.  
"You better keep your remarks to yourself, Nav', or I'll slice you in half. I know you're not Zelda's."  
Navi didn't really have a face to read emotions off of, but Link could tell it was pretty stunned. "How'd you know?"  
"I mighta only known Zelda for a few minutes, but I felt a connection to her. A deep connection," Link explained.  
Navi giggled. "Aww, old numbskull's in love with the Princess of Hyrule. Get in line, loser."  
"Not like that, you bugbrain. Whatever, forget it. Good night." Link curled up and made warm the best he could.  
The night was much, much colder than he had expected. He was at the point of freezing when a beautiful warmth suddenly overcame his being. He looked up to see Navi resting on his shoulder, it's energies spreading into him. He smiled, and drifted back into a sleep.

Link woke up to a close up of Abril's face.  
"Ahh!" He shouted, and backed up quickly. His shield and sword were out of reach.  
"How'd you survive the night?" Abril asked genuinely, if not abruptly.  
"What do you mean, 'survive the night'? I slept! Look, I'm sorry I did what I did, it was just self-defense."  
"Shut up, kid. In the Gerudo Valley, only way you make it through the day is with the right clothes, only way you make it through the wind is with force, and only way you make it through the night is among others and under the blanket of the body of a Giant Warthog. I don't see any other people or a Giant Warthog, so how did you survive?"  
"I'm not telling," Link said, feeling protective of that stupid speck of blue.  
"You're not telling? You're. Not. Telling? That's what's going to happen? The Gerudo will die off, because you don't want to tell? You fool. You are why the Desert Man is doing what he's doing. He could've protected us, instead he has to go save the world. Because of scum like you. You're lucky. I won't tell my friends of your location. Just get out." Abril left.  
"Why didn't you give me up?" Navi asked.  
"It doesn't matter," Link said, in his usual emotionless self, "let's go. I need a Triforce." 


	7. Part Seven

"Alright, that'll do it."  
"Link, that's the worst grapple hook I've ever seen."  
"Shut up!"  
"You shut up!"  
Link attached the metal hook onto the long rope. He rolled it up until it was fit to hold. Link and Navi were beholding the steep rim of the Eldin Volcano's namesake, the crazy freak of nature that was a dangerous mountaintop of pain.  
"I need some way to get up there, don't I?" Link began swinging the hook.  
"Yeah, you need a way to get up there, not a way to get yourself killed!"  
"Oh, please. This'll be a piece of cake." Link flung the hook and it stuck onto the volcano's top. The momentum pulled Link up with the wind, all the way to the top. As he stared down his destination, Navi floated up beside him.  
"Long drop," Navi pointed out.  
"You don't say. Well, here goes nothing," Link threw himself down the gaping hole.  
"Wait, w-what! Link!" Navi quickly rushed to his falling body, but he fell faster than Navi could reach him. In mid-air, Link threw out the grapple hook onto a spare branch, slammed his feet into the wall, and dropped a meter onto a platform.

"Are you crazy?" Navi asked.  
Link shrugged and rolled up his grapple hook. "Alright, so I feel like a piece of the Triforce is around here."  
"Why?"  
"My hand's glowing." Navi looked to confirm Link's words. On the top of his left hand, a golden triangle glew.  
"That's the Triforce!"  
"I was thinking so," Link said. Suddenly, the duo heard a loud thud somewhere else in the volcano.  
"Who else could be here?" Navi whispered.  
Link didn't answer. Instead, he crept in the direction of the noise before leaning against a wall, listening closely:

"Go ahead and retrieve the Shard. That's what the Master is searching for."  
"That's fine and all, but think about this: is he really going to handle this treasure properly? In my opinion, it's time for new leadership."  
"What are you suggesting, Trickster? You wouldn't dare to defy the Dark Lord. Not some pathetic scum like you."  
"If you wanna live in the constant turmoil we've gone through ever since that Gerudo assumed command, keep kissing his ass. I'm taking this shard. Ganon doesn't need it, anyway."  
"His name is Ganondorf to you, TRICKSTER! He-"  
"Call me 'trickster' are much as you like, Zant. But know that I make illusions. Tricks are what whores perform for cash. You'd know about that, wouldn't you? With Midna."  
"Y-you, I'll report this treason to our Lord immediately! I can't believe you, Ghirahim. Ganondorf gave you power, fame, riches. I never understood what he saw in you."  
"Quiet, imbecile...I hear..."  
A sleek, skinny man covered in gray makeup and revealing white clothing leapt out of the shadows, next to Link. His moon-white hair covered half of his widening grin as he held a long fencing sword by his side, and with his free hand holding onto the volcano's wall. Link did a backflip, difficult because of the extensive amount of equipment on him, and pointed his sword to the swordfighter.  
"A boy," Ghirahim noted, "did you not sense him, Zant? The fools I work with..."  
"I've come for the shard," Link demanded.  
"Join the club," Ghirahim snickered as Zant stepped out from the shadows. He wore an ancient helmet with runic symbols emblazoned upon it, and a cloak that stretched past his hands and feet.  
Zant slightly turned his head. "Who...who do you think you are? Dressing as the 'Hero of Time'?" Zant turned to his partner. "Did you not recognize him, Ghirahim?" Mocking, "the fools I work with..."  
Ghirahim's gleeful smile quickly reduced itself to a scornful scowl as he extended his weapon at Link. "Whatever, Zant."  
"Ghirahim, wait, look at his hand..."  
The Triforce glowed bright in the relative darkness of the volcano.  
"The Master would probably find use of him...only he could explain what this significance means. Take the boy, Ghirahim."  
Link prepared for a defense, but Ghirahim quickly disappeared. Link's confusion was fixed when Ghirahim reappeared from behind and reached out. Link span with his sword and slashed Ghirahim's bare stomach, causing the villain to lurch back in pain.  
"UGH! I will DESTROY you!"  
"Ghirahim!" Zant shouted and waved his hand, creating a black wall between Ghirahim and Link, stopping the former from ripping into Link's throat. Zant waved again, throwing Link at a wall, before the black wall faded as Ghirahim recollected himself.  
"Heheh...sorry, Zant. I lost my temper."  
Link recovered and lunged at Zant, who merely dodged and allowed him to smash into a wall.  
"Look, Zant. He's pathetic. Let's just slay him and leave."  
"Very well. Have you got the Shard?"  
Ghirahim nodded and began searching his clothing for the piece of Triforce. He then looked questionably to Zant after being unable to find it, then glared at Link.  
"Link!" echoed through his head, as Ghirahim began understanding Link took the Shard during the battle, "Link! C! A! High C!"  
Without thought, Link pulled his ocarina from his satchel, rolled backwards, and played the notes. As Ghirahim, in air, moved forward to slash Link's throat, Link disappeared.

Link opened his eyes. He was laying down. Under him, he felt cool marble. Around him was the same marble white, all covering the inside of perhaps, a church? A temple?  
"Link."  
Link sat up. Before him was Princess Zelda, her hair slightly more ragged than before, her dress a little less bright. Her face more sad. She sat next to him and set her hand on his. She closed in for a kiss...  
Everything was purple now. Zelda was gone. The Desert Man resided in an altar, staring out to the vast nothing.  
"You think in such a centered way, child..." he said. "Simple, though. I applaud that."  
Ganondorf turned to Link from his position. Link was struggling to stand himself up.  
"Why I brought you here, Hero, is, your Music, while beautiful, is dangerous to the security of my mission. I decided to, ah, kill two birds with one stone, by rescuing you by giving you directions to your Ocarina, and-" he showed the Ocarina Link received from Saria, and crushed it in his hand, "make sure you don't risk my journey. Good luck, Hero. Continue searching for your Triforce."

Link awoke again, the constant dream cycle wearing out his being. This time, he appeared to be in...  
"There you are, mophead. How'd we get here? This is the Lanayru Desert!" Navi had reappeared after being mysteriously absent from Link's dream worlds. Link was glad of that, embarrassed by his thoughts of Princess Zelda. Link shrugged and continued to lay down in the plush sand. 


	8. Part Eight

"Ganon?" Link called out, making sure Navi was sleeping. "I'm not gonna help you, Ganon. I'm gonna assemble the Triforce and wish Hyrule back to it's former glory. I know you're trying to fool me. You killed my friend, the Deku Tree, and I'm gonna kill you."  
Although the desert's weather was harsh, it didn't nearly rival the violance of Eldin Volcano's climate, so Link wasn't complaining. The sand was a bright version of the Volcano's own ground, with patches of grass springing up every few feet or so.  
"Where's the next Shard?" Navi asked.  
Link looked out through the vast wasteland. "I don't know...there's no landmarks to identify where it could be. Hey, school me up on some Lanayru Desert info."  
"Well, there's the old factory, which should be north of here. It was Hyrule's main source of industry."  
"That a fact?" Link wondered, and started north. "Worth a shot."

"Not these guys again," Link muttered, peeking into the factory's entrance.  
"Find the Shard, Ghirahim. I will make sure no one is getting in our way."  
"By no one, you mean the little kid, don't you?" Ghirahim grinned smugly. Now on his stomach was a huge scar from where Link had slashed him. "I'll keep guard, Zant."  
"No, I insist, Ghirahim. You're faster, anyway."  
"I said I would DESTROY HIM, Zant...I will keep guard."  
"Ghirahim, I command you to retrieve the Shard so we can go back to our Master without being completely humiliated!"  
"I've had it with your loyalist trash, birdface...I'll exact vengeance on you someday," Ghirahim scowled before slinking away for the Shard.  
Link heard Zant mutter, "I'm sorry," after Ghirahim travelled far enough to be unheard. Zant then began walking in Link's direction. Link ducked under a barrel before he could be spotted. Zant kept right next to the Factory's entrance, making it impossible for Link to move anywhere. He peeked outside from a tiny crack in the barrel. Zant was still there.  
"I've got it!" Ghirahim cried from inside the factory. Zant walked back inside to view the treasure. This was Link's chance. He picked up the barrel, threw it into Zant, knocking him over, jumped and stuck his sword into Zant's stomach.  
"Zant?" Ghirahim was now in the room. Link's sword, stabbed deep through Zant's gut, was collecting blood. Link pulled it out and performed a backflip over Zant, widening the distance between him and Ghirahim. He grinned at Ghirahim, silently gloating. Link was then surprised when Ghirahim grinned even wider right back at him, and Zant slowly stood himself up. Link noticed the wound in his stomach was consumed by some black void, which was quickly closing itself.  
"That would've effectively ended my friend Ghirahim, but I'm afraid your melee attacks won't do much good against me. Though I was once man, my Overlord Master composed me of pure darkness. Heh...allow me try your trick on you, give you a taste of your own medicine, as it were."  
"No thanks," Link insisted, rolled over, in the process pulling out a bow and arrow, before releasing the arrow upwards Zant's helmet, knocking it off and revealing Zant's true form-a stiff-nosed, albino triangle-shaped head, with sleek red eyes and a frown. Zant shouted, pulled from his waist a black matter that resembled a sword, and leapt at Link. Link dodged to the left, jumped up, and slammed the sword into Zant's head and jumped off, pulling out the sword. He turned, only to quickly duck under Ghirahim's sword flinging through what was almost him, then struck upward to push Ghirahim out of the way.  
"Link's the best fighter in the province, idiots!" Navi criticized the henchmen.  
"A fairy," Ghirahim grinned and twisted his head, "hahaha...fascinating! One of those will give you extra lives...like a cat! Haahhaahhaha!" Ghirahim lunged for the fairy, but Link thrusted his sword against Ghirahim's, throwing him out of the way. Link jumped backward as Zant plowed through Link's previous position, making it a narrow escape. Ghirahim and Zant, with blood leaking from his head and stomach, stood side by side, raising their swords into defensive stances. Link did the same.  
The two fighters attacked from different directions, Ghirahim leaping up into the air expecting to perform a helm splitter, and Zant striking by side. Link ducked and rolled, avoiding both attacks, then back kicked Zant's knee, pushing him over, and slashed Ghirahim as he was recovering from the attempted helm-splitter, right in the shoulder. Ghirahim cried out in pain, dropping his fencing style weapon and falling to the ground, tugging his arm. Link did one final, well placed strike into Zant's skull, and Zant shrunk into a black hole before disappearing into a temporary vacuum of space. Link walked over to Ghirahim, snatched the shard from his left hand, and started a course for the Lost Woods.

"Perfect," Link smirked satisfactorily upon noting there was no fleet guarding the Woods. "I half-expected our king was dumb enough to waste his men for the guard of a boy."  
"Gee, you really don't care for the king, do you?"  
"Guess I just wised up to how ineffectively he's taking care of the kingdom."  
"But you've got yourself a little crush on the Princess!"  
"Shut up!" Link yelled, slashing his sword in front of Navi. They continued on into the Forest. 


	9. Part Nine

"The Final Shard is Near..."  
"Complete the Triforce..."  
Link examined the two shattered pieces he had collected thus far. They fit neatly into eachother, but both had an indent on the top indicating one final piece would build a solid triangle. He knew from the Legend there were two other Triforces as well. But his mission was to just complete this one, and use his power to stop Ganon from casting the world into shadows.  
"MY GOD!" shrieked from behind Link, and Link quickly turned. Zant, unmasked, blood staining him in a variety of places, twisted his neck until it was further than a 90 degree angle from it's previous position. He bowed down backwards, staring to the heavens, holding a dagger in each hand. "My GOD instilled this power into me..you've foiled me twice...but my god will see to it that I defeat you...and should the opposite be true, my god will resurrect me...let this be our final battle! Or rather, let this be yours!" Zant stood up, twisted his head back into it's original placement, and held his blades close. "Ganon...see to it that, should I be finished, I will be revived...I know you will, my Savior..." Zant sliced with a dagger, only to be blocked by Link's sword, who pushed Zant back and huddled close. The same process repeated before Zant teleported behind Link and kicked him down. He stabbed down, but narrowly missed, and Link kicked up, pushing Zant away, and then struck again but hit the two daggers. Link pressed his advantage, however, and kept striking until Zant took one step too far, left an opening to his stomach, and was stabbed into by Link's sword. Zant fell, teleported behind Link once more, but Link performed a roll and a backflip, putting distance between the fighters.  
Zant threw a portal at Link, then another at the sky, throwing Link through a bend of space-time, and Zant struck as he was in the center. Link laid on the ground, clutching his stomach which was severely damaged.  
"Here it is!" Navi then cried, from a distance not too far. The fairy was getting closer to Link, holding...holding the final shard. It span, flinging it. Link raised an arm to catch it, and the other pieces spontaneously threw themselves attached to the final piece. The Triforce was a solid, gold triangle, and as Link held it, he noticed on the front of his hand three connected Triforces tattooed. The Triforce in his hand glew a bright light and beamed a ray into Zant's core. Zant fell to his knees, then chuckled. "Joke's on you...Ganon will revive me. I know he will. I served him more loyally than any other..." Zant then fell face first into the forest ground. Link held the Triforce out, and it beamed a final ray to somewhere in the forest. Link followed the direction.

Eventually, Link reached a quaint little spot tucked in the deeper section of the Woods. A blue, powerful sword was encased in a pedestal, the casing reading: 'The Blade of Evil's Bane'. Link grabbed the hilt with both hands, and pulled. The sword left it's concrete home with ease, finding a new shelter with Link. Link threw the shabby silver sword to the side and held out the Master Sword. It beamed in the sun's rays. He sheathed it, the crossguard adjusting nicely. Link's adrenaline finally gave up and Link collapsed, severely wounded from Zant's lucky slash. He stared toward the sky, just as Zant had done in his final moments. The clouds were full but sparse. The sun was in full view, but not too hot. The wind...was blowing. Link's last feeling was the warmth of his blood surrounding him as he closed his eyes.

Link woke up. His wound was bandaged. He turned to his sides. A large room with tan walls and a marble floor. He was laying in a comfortable, white bed. By his right was Princess Zelda.  
"Hey, Link," she waved, noticing his open eyes.  
Link chuckled. "Hey there, Princess." He then turned to his right, and shouted as the King had an open stare on him. Link reached for his sword and began to sit up, but found his sword was not on his back. The King pushed him back into bed.  
"Link...I'll be sure to remember your name. You caused a little bit of trouble around here a couple days ago. Had the Kingdom in a bit of a scare."  
"Well, I apologize deep from the heart," Link scowled.  
"I know why you dislike me so. Your uncle died in combat, Link. He signed up for it. He knew the risks and did it anyway. To help his Kingdom."  
"He hated you."  
"Well, most people have that reaction when they first meet me," the King chuckled, "I expect many of my Guard hold the same feelings. Power is a dangerous man who skulks about royalty."  
"Link, what's wrong with you?" Zelda glared, "this is my dad. Be nice!"  
"Sorry," Link muttered.  
"Don't apologize. I feel if you become true to your self, you will see that I'm actually doing good things for the Kingdom...and that your uncle was a drunkard and a thief. I'm sorry, I don't mean to offend."  
"It's alright," Link realized, and the three Triforces on his hand glowed. "You're...right..."  
"By God...you were right, Zelda...he truly is a Chosen One! Oh no...my daughter," the King turned to Zelda, kneeled and hugged her tight. "Look at your hand."  
Zelda obeyed, and held up her hand, which now had it's own collection of Triforces glowing.  
"Heh," the King laughed, joyfully. "Never did I expect I would see the Prophecy play out...to restore Hyrule to former glory!"  
"Don't worry, you won't." The King's head was sliced off, leaving a headless body to fall to the floor, bleeding on itself. Zelda shrieked. Behind the dead body was Ganondorf, holding a six foot blade composed entirely of darkness. The hand that held the sword had the emblem of the Triforces. Glowing. Ganon sheathed the sword, and punched both of the kids in the face at the same time, knocking each out.

Link woke up again, this time in an abandoned, stone room. There was a window, which Link looked through. He was apparently very, very high up, in some kind of fortress. Link stood up, and unbandaged his stomach. He gasped in fear as he realized he was without his weapons. Zelda, asleep, was laid on the floor. He grabbed her bag, looked inside, and sighed with relief as he realized his bow, grapple hook, and Master Sword were still intact. He grabbed the Sword and felt it in his hands, waving it about. He was ready to kill.  
"Boy," a strong voice boomed, as Ganon entered the room. "That's what you are. Nothing more." He snapped his wrist, and from his arm into his hand the familiar long shadow blade appeared. Ganon chuckled.  
Link lunged, but Ganon simply stepped aside. Link then grabbed his still healing stomach in pain, the movement obviously messing up some organs.  
"Child, I'm on the path of right here. I simply wish to spread awareness of the suffering my tribe, the Gerudo, have endured. It would be unfair for our deaths to go unnoticed!" He shouted, the echoes repeating him.  
Link fell to his knees, the jarring of his intestines causing such suffering.  
"Hey, mophead," Navi then said, from it's little home in Link's pocket, "remember me, I guess."  
Navi entered Link's stomach, and Link exhaled deeply. The wound stitched itself instantly, and it's feeling vanished. Link then looked down. Navi was gone.  
"A fairy? You got a fairy? Lucky," Ganon raised his eyebrows and offered a dry laugh.  
Link let his rage flow through his mind, his arms, his chest, and stood up. With a deafening cry, he faked a jump strike, rolled and struck Ganon's back. Or at least, he tried. Ganon easily knocked Link to his side with the flat part of his dark sword. Ganon raised the sword vertically, and-  
"Link!" A soft voice exclaimed, outside the window. Link turned. It was...Saria? Saria was there, floating.  
"Not this," Ganon grumbled, taking back his blade. "Let's think this over properly, mage..."  
"Negotiations with you have been withdrawn," Saria spoke seriously. "The mages have decided it is in Hyrule's best interest that you are destroyed."  
"Oh, I'm that important a threat?" Ganon chuckled again, before bursting into a short, full-blown laugh. "The mages have only had to assemble every thousand years or so, you really deem me so dangerous?"  
"It is you we've had to stop every millenium, Desert Man."  
"Oh, right," Ganon said. "You know what I've learned from all our battles, Farore? I'd kept being born into some form of royalty. My mind always aspired to rule Hyrule. This rebirth, however, I suffered. I watched my friends and family die off in a matter of weeks before I was informed it had always been this way. Impregnating the little girls to assure the survival of our race before they were killed by the winds...the wind...I don't care to rule such a misery as Hyrule anymore. My only focus now is to destroy it! To end all suffering!"  
"Wind, huh?" Saria growled. "Here, have some more!" She pushed her hands forward, and a huge gust of wind toppled over the tower, bringing Link, Ganon, and Zelda to a not so friendly destination.  
"No, no, no!" Ganon roared. Link and Zelda were then escorted out the falling tower on their own platforms of wind. Zelda had just woken up.  
"Sorry, Link, I overslept!" Zelda cried to Link. She didn't seem too unnerved about her flying about the sky.  
Link laughed, and laid back as he was carried to an unknown destination, watching as Ganon's fortress began to burn from the destruction. 


	10. Part Ten

"Are the both of you okay?" Saria asked the two, dropping them off in a forest center.  
"Yeah," Link said joyfully. His glee then became a mix of anger and confusion. "Saria...what are you?"  
"Heehee," Saria giggled, before morphing into an extremely bright light and then a fairy. "I'm one of the six mages...this is my true form. I created an identity, Saria, to keep a close eye on you. The others would have helped, but they did not think you were the Chosen One."  
"Why did Ganon call you Farore? That's a goddess."  
"Just 'trash talk'," Saria said.  
"What...is your real name?"  
"Ciela."  
"Do you know a Navi?"  
Ciela had no expression upon the small orb that was her true form, but Link could feel the sense of dread within her. "Yes...Navi is...Navi was one of the mages. She sacrificed herself by reviving you from what was about to be certain death. Link...I must tell you something of great importance."  
"When the world was created, lightness and darkness completed eachother, but were soon at each other's throats. As the Goddesses began establishing life and community, the light and dark spawned a body to represent their sides: The dark created a figure who showed royalty, power, and command: Ganondorf. But the light went a different direction: a youth who showed even the common boy is powerful enough when strengthened by the light. This lifetime, that is you, Link."  
"I was...born to kill Ganon?"  
"Yes."  
"There is no other choice for me?"  
"Do not worry, Link," Ciela smiled, "you can defeat him."  
"That's not what he meant," Zelda glared at Ciela before returning her attention to Link.  
"Nothing I ever decided even mattered? All of my choices...they were made beforehand?" Link mumbled, now sitting down, gazing off into the distance.  
"Link, don't think about that. That's weird and stupid. Focus on what's important: You have to stop Ganon to save Hyrule."  
"Oh, don't worry, if I don't do anything, I'll still go to kill him. Fate, right?"  
"You really wanna test that? Leave the subjects of Hyrule to your experimentation?"  
"...No."  
"Then get up, idiot. You need to finish Ganon off."  
"He's too powerful, Zelda. I'm just a kid."  
"So were the others! Get up!" Zelda shoved Link, and he fell down the grassy hill. Unharmed, he stared into the sky, breathing carefully.  
Zelda...  
He stood up and dusted off his tunic. "Well, see you later," Link waved to Zelda, and set off.  
"Wh-for real? You're just gonna waltz over to Ganon's tower and hope you make it out lucky?"  
"Not sure what else to do," Link shrugged, his face showing off the darkness inside him. "You got the wrong Chosen One, Zelda. I'll die for the kingdom, but I'm not gonna save it."  
"Ughh!" Zelda growled, "I'm coming with you!"  
"Zelda," Ciela butted in, "I've got something for the two of you. For you, Zelda," a bow and arrows appeared from thin air. The bow's shape was sleek and royal, a stark contrast to Link's bulky wooden one.  
"And for you, Link," Ciela said fondly, emitting a second-long jealous glare from Zelda, who quickly hid it, "direction. Your Sword, though you've found the Triforce, is weak. And because you so rashly fought Ganon, you'll notice the Triforce is cracked," she gestured to Link's pocket. Link dug around in it for the Triforce, and saw that it was, indeed, severely injured.  
"You'll need to find the six mages to repair it. Once the TriForce is again complete...well, you'll figure it out."  
"But Navi's dead."  
"Mages cannot die," Ciela shouted, "like energy, they simply transfer into new forms. When Navi, one of my only friends, sacrificed herself for you, you became a mage. Then, you spent your energy focused on a single being...love, maybe?"  
"What are you saying?" Zelda growled.  
"That Link, through some legendary process, has transferred his power to you...that you, Zelda, are now a mage, just like I or any of the others."  
"Cool," Zelda said glumly, remembering the death of her father. "C'mon, Link. Let's go kill that big jerk."  
"Hold on just a moment," Ciela patronizingly spoke up, and focused her energy into the cracked Triforce. A small tear relieved itself from the golden power, and Ciela breathed out.  
"Be on your way, then," Ciela waved them off. "You'll find another mage in Kakariko."

The pair walked in silence through their plight to Kakariko. The world around them seemed dark. The grass had a little less green in it. The sky, a tad too gray. Trees sparsely littered the Hyrule fields. Looking at the castle from afar as they passed by, they could hear the chaos assuming within it. A fire suddenly burst just above the castle wall. The drawbridge appeared to be locked, likely by the royal guard, still discussing what to do with the dead King of Hyrule whose only kin was missing. Zelda let out a small whimper as shouts echoed within Castle Town. There was no time to help the citizenry of the previously high-held kingdom. Link and the Princess had a mission to focus on.  
As they traversed the Lost Woods, the forest itself seemed to open up a path for them as they went along. The two hesitantly followed the trail and luckily found themselves right in front of the Kakariko territory.  
"Link!" the boy clad in green heard his name growled and turned to his right. There was his good pal, Mido. The bigger boy was rushing towards the duo, some tears streaming down his face. As he came closer, he raised his fist and prepared to attack, when Zelda suddenly waved her hand. Glows of glitter appeared from the clear air, and Mido was pushed back by an invisible force. Mido landed hard, his legs going up and a trail following where his rear ripped through the soil. He began to blubber and pointed at Link, shouting unintelligible gibberish.  
"What do you want, Mido?" Link asked the boy, unsurprised by Zelda's little trick so soon after the news she had become magical. Link unsheathed the Master Sword and aimed it at his former bully.  
"You're the reason Saria left!" Mido shouted, jerking his head forward in such a way Link had to pull his sword back in fear the idiot would accidentally impale himself. Link sheathed the blade and chuckled, before his face returned to an imagery of sorrow.  
"Saria was never real, Mido," Link shook his head, "just an identity to keep tabs on me."  
"Yeah, right!" Mido struggled back up and stepped closer to Link. Link gestured to Zelda to stand down.  
"I was gonna marry her!" the crying boy screamed. "We were gonna have pretty lives together...so pretty..."  
Link looked into Mido's eyes, glazed with tears. His face, red with anger and desperation. He trembled with hatred before plopping himself back on the ground, throwing his head into his hands.  
"Zelda," Link turned to his partner, "go find Orca. If anyone knows who the mage in town is, it's him. Wooden shack, tribal fish paintings on the outer wall." Zelda rushed off into the village.  
Link kneeled down, trying to think of how to comfort his former enemy. Looking at Mido, Link realized how trivial all their petty fighting had been. How pointless. Link rested a hand on Mido's shoulder, and Mido looked up, letting Link see his teary face. Link exhaled, bit his lip, and said:  
"I'm sorry."  
The empathetic words rung throughout Mido's mind, bouncing around as his body prepared a response. Instead, he let his head hang, turned back up, and stood, holding out a hand for Link. Link slapped his hand into Mido's, grabbing it, and Mido gave a soft yank, helping Link up.  
"Thanks," Mido whispered.  
Link, whose eyes now were also wet, nodded and broke eye contact. "I'll talk to you later, Mido." He turned and headed for Orca's.

"The Triforce." Orca demanded as Link stepped inside.  
"Uh, what?" Link turned to Zelda, who shrugged.  
"I'm the mage you're looking for," Orca explained, and thrust an open palm outward. "The Triforce! You haven't got all the time in the world!"  
As Link fished for the Triforce in his pocket, Orca began more in-depth reasoning. "You best hurry and find the remaining mages," he grabbed the Triforce from Link's outstretched hand, and began healing it, "to use the Triforce to strike Ganon while he is recovering from the attack. You'll find Ruto in the Hylia Lake. She'll give you directions to see Darunia, and so on." The Triforce glowed as another crack filled with solid gold. "Now go, you two. You'll need every second you can get."  
Orca handed the Triforce back and shooed them off. Link and Zelda took off quickly.  
"Huh," Link uttered as they strolled.  
"What?" Zelda asked, fiddling with her hair.  
"Nothing, I've just known that old geezer forever."  
"Oh," Zelda laughed faintly, "that would come as a surprise, then!"  
"Yeah," Link chuckled himself, and turned to Zelda. He remembered how beautiful she was, as wispy strands of blonde flowed across her face. 


End file.
